and not of a Man also Why is he so frequently in the Scriptures especially in the Gospel both by himself and others styled the Son of Man and never the Son of a Woman Answ Although he be no where expresly called the Son of a Woman yet he is said to have been made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 And he is called the first-born Son of Mary Mat. 1.25 where it is likewise said ver 23. that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son But when he is so oft termed The Son of Man the word Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek rather noteth the kind then the sex being a word as well of the Feminine as Masculine Gender and comprehended both sexes And though Christ was not the Son of any Man by immediate Propagation as all other men have been are and will be yet he was the Son of many Male-Progenitours as of David Abraham Adam and many others as is to be seen Mat. 1. compared with Luk. 3. Quest 18. But is Christ◠so oft styled the Son of Man for no other reason but only because he was a male-member of Mankind or because he had Men to his Progenitours Answ Although he could not properly be styled The Son of Man without the one and the other of both these yet neither the one of them nor the other nor both together seem to be the adequate or chief ground of that so frequent a denomination of him Quest 19. What then do you conceive or judge may be the chief reason or ground of that Appellation Answ I suppose to accommodate and relieve the infirmity or weakness both of the Faith and of the flesh of men For Christ being a Person so infinitely above them as in respect of his Divine Nature or God-head so in Glory Majesty Holiness Power place of Residence c. as he is the very thought of him without some allay or other to quallifie it must needs be burthensome if not over-whelming to their frail and weak flesh But the consideration that in the midst of all this his super-transcendent elevation above them yet is he bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh and communicates in the same nature with them that he is the Son of Man as well as the Son of God this much sweetneth their meditation of him and strengtheneth their flesh to bear the weight of his glory and of the apprehension of it much more comfortably CHAP. IV. Of the Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Glorification of Christ and of his coming to Judgement Quest 1. WHat necessity was there that Christ for the Redemption and Salvation of Men besides his being incarnate or made Man should live and converse in the world for several years amongst men Or If his life had been taken from him assoon as he received it or assoon as he was born into the world had ii not been sufficient Answ It was necessary in sundry respects that Christ should not only be conceived and born into the world but that he should also live to a good maturity of years walk and converse with men on Earth for a competent time c. This was necessary chiefly in four respects Quest 2. What is the first of these Answ It was necessary that the Captain of the Salvation of those that should believe should go before them in such a way of life and conversation wherein God judged it meet to impose it as a law upon all those that were to be saved to walk that is in a way of Innocency Holiness and all submissive Obedience unto God Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Mat. 11.29 Quest 3. What is a second consideration in respect of which it was necessary that Christ should live to the compleat age of a Man in the world Answ That he might kindle the fire of the Gospel in the world for which he was sent before he left it Luk. 12.49 that is that he might plant the Doctrine of it as it were by his own hands and make choyce of men for Apostles whom he might send forth with a charge and instructions to publish and preach the same far and near throughout the world Heb. 2.3 4. Mat. 28.18 19 20. Mar. 16.15 16 17. Quest 4. What is a third Consideration inducing the said necessity Answ That the laying down of his life might be a voluntary Sacrifice or Free-will-offering and consequently of the higher acceptance with God For had he not lived to years of discretion and to the use of reason he could not have offered himself unto God nor have given himself a ransom for all nor have laid down his life of himself c. In which voluntary resignments of himself into the hands of death according to the will of his Father the Scripture placeth much of the efficacy of his Death for the work of Redemption Heb. 9.15 1 Tim. 2.6 Joh. 10.17 18. with other places Quest 5. What is the fourth and last of the said Considerations Answ That by this means the truth of such Scripture-Predictions might be salved which either directly or implicitely presignified that his life should be continued unto him in the flesh until he arrived at the just age or years of a Man Quest 6. But Christian Religion doth not only teach that Christ was made flesh and that he lived in the world to Mans estate but that he suffered death also Was there any necessity of this for the work of Redemption and Salvation of men Answ It was declared in the former Chapter (a) Q. 16. how and in what respects the death of Christ was necessary for the Salvation of Men. In that way of saving them in which only as being most honourable unto him God hath been graciously pleased to do it the death of Christ is soveraignly necessary hereunto yea so necessary that it may be truly said No death of Christ ho life of Man Quest 7. How or what doth the death of Christ contribute towards the Redemption or Salvation of the World Answ It contributeth toward these by way of Ransom or Attonement that is it is in the Eye of Gods Justice or just severity against Sin a valuable consideration for the Sin of the whole World or for the discharge of all those from guilt and punishment who have sinned against him how many or how great soever their sins have been So that he judgeth and this according to the most apparent truth that he hath as fully manifested his just displeasure and indignation against sin by delivering up his Son Christ unto death as he should or could have done by inflicting the vengeance of Eternal fire upon all and every person of mankind that have sinned Quest 8. But for whom or for the expiation or taking away of whose sins did Christ suffer death Or Whose salvation did God intend by it Answ Doubtlesse Christ suffered death for all men and the Salvation of all men was intended by God by it For the Scripture expresly saith that
1.15 Another Answer to the Question may be that Christ hath not made by his death full satisfaction to the justice of God for mens sins upon any such terms as either to indulge or harden any man in the practise of sin by securing him from the stroak of Gods displeasure when he offendeth nor yet to deprive God of his Liberty to govern the World or particularly his own house the houshold of Faith in wisdome righteousness and equity and consequently to judge and punish delinquents in either when he seeth just cause but the compleatness or fulness of this Satisfaction standeth in this that God may in consideration thereof without the least reflection upon or disparagement unto his justice or perfect hatred of sin forgive all men all their sins upon their unfeigned Faith and Repentance notwithstanding he may in some cases as in that of David 2 Sam. 12. ver 13 14. upon another account as viz. for the vindication of his righteousness and impartialitie in the Government of the world before the men thereof correct with temporal chastisements great and known Offenders the truth of their Faith and Repentance notwithstanding Quest 17. How long did Christ remain in the state of death Answ By the space of three daies and three nights Mat. 12.40 that is of one whole natural day in the middle and part of two other of these dayes Now a natural day consisting of 24 hours and so comprehending the night in it our Saviour by the figure Synecdoche expresseth two parts of two of these dayes and one intire one by three daies and three nights So that he reckoneth that part of the sixth day of the week on which he was crucified which we call Friday which remained after his being crucified dead and laid in the grave being between three and four of the clock in the afternoon unto the end of it this part I say of this natural day he reckoneth for the first of the three daies and three nights of which he speaketh The seventh day of the week called Saturday the whole time whereof he remained in the state of death and in the grave he accounteth for the second That part of the first day of the week by us called the Lords day or Sunday which was before his resurrection he computeth for the third and last of these three daies and three nights Quest 18. Why did Christ remain thus long viz. three daies and three nights in the sense declared in the hand or state of death Answ Because God judged this a sufficient time to evince and prove the truth and certainty of his death for the full satisfaction of those whom it concerned to believe it some having been thought to be dead for several hours together who yet were not dead but in a trance only Quest 19. Why did he remain no longer in the state of death but only for three daies and three nights Answ First because by this time as was even now said he had sufficiently confirmed the truth of his death by which he had wrought the great work of Redemption and made attonement for the World So that there was no further necessity or occasion of his remaining in the bonds of death And it was most contrary to his will and pleasure to cause or suffer his Holy one to suffer impertinently who taketh care that his ordinarie Saints be not in heaviness except it be when need requireth it 1 Pet. 1 6. Secondly it was the unchangeable will of God according as it was foretold by David long before Psal 16.10 compared with Acts 2.27 c. that his Holy one meaning Christ should not see corruption Now it hath been the observation of some and is I conceive the judgment of more that a dead body after three daies lying in the Grave begins to putrifie and corrupt which seemeth also by that saying of Martha concerning the interred body of her Brother Lazarus Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four daies Joh. 11.39 to have been received for truth among the Jewes So that God to keep his Holy one in the grave longer then three daies from seeing Corruption must have wrought a Miracle and not long after another Miracle greater then that viz. in raising him from the dead But God is not pleased to multiply miracles but only to accommodate great necessities or occasions Quest 20. But if the death of Christ was only temporal and of no longer Continuance then three dayes and three nights how can it be a reasonable compensation to the justice or just severitie of God against sin which required the eternal death of so many millions as should sin Answ To this Question Answer hath in part been given formerly where it was in effect said that the infinite dignity of the person considered it was altogether as high ah act or as high an expression of Gods just hatred and severity against sin not to absolve those or any of those that had sinned but only upon the account of the death yea be it but of the temporal death of Jesus Christ as it would have been to have punished all and every one of the said sinners with death eternal Unto which this may be added that it was not eternal death as such I mean as Eternal which the justice of God required of those that should sin or had sinned but death simply In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or according to the Hebrew dying thou shalt die Gen. 2.17 This death indeed consequentially and as it were by accident would have been eternal viz. through the weakness and inability of the creature on whom it was to be inflicted being not able to deliver it self from it For if for argument sake it could be supposed that any creature on which God shall inflict death for sin be it that death which we call temporal could recover it self from under this death or restore it self unto life again it is not reasonable to think that God would punish this creature with another death or inflict death upon it the second time for that sin for which the first death was inflicted The Apostle Paul I conceive insinuates this notion where he saith though by way of allusion that he that is dead or that hath died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from sin Rom. 6 7. meaning that a perfon having once suffered the sentence of the Law which is Death is not further responsible for his miscarriage but stands in the eye of this Law as innocent or righteous So that the death of Christ though but temporal yet is not only upon a geometrical or upon an equitable account but even upon an arithmetical strict or literal account a full compensation to the justice of God against sin uttering it self in that threatning In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Quest 21. Was there then any occasion or necessity for the Resurrection of
before and without his being made Man But he was not a Person actually and every ways accomplished and fitted to perform the great works of the Redemption and Salvation of the World until as the Scripture speaketh Joh. 1.14 He was made flesh that is assumed the Humane Nature into personal union with his God-head Quest 9. But did not his assuming the Nature of Man into Vnion with his Divine Person destroy the truth of his being a Person causing him to cease from being a Person any longer and to become some other thing Answ In no wise Because he did not take or unite another Person to his Divine Person but only another Nature namely the Nature of Man wherein his Divine Person subsisted without any breach made upon any personal propriety in Him For that Humane Body and Humane Soul which He assumed was no Person of Mankind nor did they ever subsist of or by themselves or apart from his God-head only his assuming and uniting them unto his Divine Person made this of a consideration by it self far differing from all other persons subsisting either in the one nature or the other I mean either in the Divine Nature or Humane Quest 10. What occasion or necessity was there for the Incarnation of the Son of God or that Christ should become Man Answ As it was one of the greatest highest and most wonderful dispensations wherein God ever appeared to clothe his Son with flesh and to invest him with the Nature of Man So was there the greatest occasion before him that can lightly be imagined to put forth his hand thereunto viz. The saving of a miserable lost and ruined world in a way which pleased him as excellently comporting with his Infinite Wisdom and Righteousness Quest 11. Was it then necessary for the Salvation of the World that Christ should become Man Answ Had it not been some-ways at least or in some respect necessary hereunto it is not likely that God would have lift up his hand to so great a Dispensation in order to it it being repugnant to Infinite Wisdom to levie great and more then ordinary means when the end may be otherwise obtained Quest 12. In what respect was it necessary for the Salvation of the World that Christ should be Incarnate and made Man Answ That God might save the World in a way and by means pleasing unto himself and well becoming him Quest 13. But might not God have saved the World without the Incarnation of his Son Answ It is the opinion of many pious and learned men both Ancient and Modern that He might And if we respect the absoluteness of his Power and the justness of his Prerogative to do with his own what he pleaseth unto which neither his Justice though Essential to him nor his Severity against sin are any Enemies it seems very reasonable to conceive that indeed he might But if we respect the Infiniteness of his Zeal not unto things or ways that are simply good or lawful but unto such which are best and most excellent and honourable for him it seems more probable that he could not inasmuch as he could not will so to do it Quest 14. But doth the Scripture afford any ground to conceive that it was more honourable for Him to save the World by means of his Sons being made Man then it would have been to have done it in some other way Answ The Scripture plainly affirmeth That it became him intending to bring many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 Which words imply that no other way of saving the World would have become at least so well become him that is have been so honorable unto him as that which he hath now taken as viz. by such a Mediatour or Undertaker of the work whom he might Consecrate unto it or put into the most regular capacity for the performance of it by the suffering of death Now Christ had not been capable of this Consecration unto the great work you speak of the saving of the World by suffering death had he not assumed such a Nature wherein he might suffer it Besides if it should he said or thought that there is or was any other way of saving the World equally or as well becoming God as to save it by the Incarnation of his Son as now he hath done he cannot be said to have chosen or taken up this way by counsel but rather that he fell upon it as it were by lot For where several means are equally and in every respect alike expedient and this equality perfectly known before hand there is no place for counsel or for choyce properly so called Quest 15. But why might not God with as much honour to himself have saved the World by an Angel or by the Incarnation of an Angel as by the Incarnation of his Son Answ First The just severity of God against Sin being provoked by Man could not so well or so observeably satisfie or content it self by the Sacrifice of an Angel being a creature of another nature differing from that which had provoked it Secondly There being a world of men that had provoked God the death or annihilation of an Angel or of the Humane Nature though personally united to an Angel if such a thing could or should be supposed would have been a Sacrifice of no considerable Balance in the Eye of Justice to make an attonement for such a vast number of Creatures so considerable as Men are Thirdly and lastly The Honour and Dignity in Equity belonging to so great an Undertaking prosperously atchieved and performed as the Salvation of a lost World were too high and glorious an Investiture for the greatest of Angels and only becoming the only begotten Son of God See Phil. 2. v. 9 10 11. Quest 16. But though it be granted that the Incarnation of the Son of God was necessary for the Redemption and Salvation of the World yet whether was it necessary that he should be conceived and born of a Virgin and not in the ordinary way of natural Propagation Answ There may be several reasons why it should be necessary or at least why it should be more expedient and better becoming the Wisdom of God that he should be born of a Virgin then according to the course of ordinary Propagation Of which reasons one of the chief may be this It being the will and pleasure of God to involve Adam's whole posterity viz. which should according to the course of nature descend from him and which was seminally in his Loyns in the guilt of his first sin and condemnation due thereunto it was necessary that Christ should be conceived and born in a way besides the course of Nature that so he might be born free from this guilt and condemnation and so be in a due capacity to make attonement for those that were lyable unto them Quest 17. But if Christ were the Son of a Virgin or of a Woman only
he gave himself a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2.6 And Christ himself saith that he would give his flesh for the life of the World Joh. 6.51 Elsewhere it is said of him that he was made a little lower then the Angels by suffering of death that he by the grace of God might tast death for every man Heb. 2.9 And of God it is said that he will have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 and again that he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and so be saved 2 Pet. 3.9 Quest 9. But if Christ dyed for all men and God intendeth or willeth the Salvation of all men by him How cometh it to passe that all men are not saved Or Shall all men be saved by him Answ The Scripture plainly declareth that all men will not be saved yea that far the greater part of men will perish Mat. 7.13 14. Luk. 13 24. But the reason why any man perisheth or is not saved is not because Christ dyed not for him as well or as much as he dyed for those that are saved but because he believed not in him or on God by him with such a Faith as those others did viz. which worketh by love Quest 10. Doth then the Faith of men give efficacy or vertue to the Death of Christ so that with it it is able to save them but without it it is not able Answ The death of Christ is able to save men that is hath a complete saving efficacy in it whether men believe or no. Yet this saving efficacy of it taketh place in no man unless he believeth if by years and discetion he be capable of believing Neverthelesse that which giveth unto it the actual efficacy of saving those that do believe is not their Faith or believing but the authority of the gracious Decree or appointment of God wherein he hath ordained that all those shall be saved by the death of Christ that shall believe Quest 11. But if God intendeth the Salvation of all men in or by the death of Christ Will not his intentions in this kind be made frustrate unlesse all men be saved Answ No The reason is because though he really intendeth the Salvation of all men in the death of Christ yet he intendeth it not nor indeed the salvation of any man any otherwise or upon any other terms then only in case they shall believe Therefore his intentions of the Salvation of all men by the death of Christ cannot be made frustrate but only by the non-salvation of all men in case or although all men should believe Quest 12. But if Christ by his death satisfied for the sins of all men is not God unjust to punish any man for that for which he hath received full satisfaction Answ If the Intent and Agreement of him that made or gave the Satisfaction was that the benefit of this satisfaction should not inure or accrue unto any person but onely unto such who should owne and acknowledg the same by believing which clearly is the case in hand then is not God unjust to punish unbelievers notwithstanding the satisfaction made for them He should in this case rather be unjust in case he should discharge any of the debtors contrary to the will and desire of him that hath tendered the satisfaction or contrary to the Covenant which he hath made with him Quest 13. But was it necessarie for the work of Redemption or expiation of sin that Christ should suffer death would not lesser or lighter sufferings susteyned by him in respect of the dignity of his person have been sufficiently availeable thereunto Answ It was not simply and barely the Redemption of the World or the expiation of sin which God intended by Christ but the effecting of both upon the most honourable terms both for his wisdome righteousnesse and severity against sin Therefore though it might be a question or matter of doubt whether some under-sufferings of Christ might not have effected the Redemption of the world simply considered or without any breach made upon equity yet it can be neither but that the death it self of Christ was necessary hereunto in that way of effecting or procuring it which was only pleasing in the sight of God And it is a clear case that God's just severity against sin could not have been so fully manifested by any lighter sufferings of Christ as now it hath been by his Death Quest 14. What manner or kind of death was it that Christ suffered Answ The death of Crucifying or of hanging nailed upon a Crosse untill he were dead Quest 15. Why did he suffer this kind of death rather then any other Answ This was that kind of death which the Romans under whose jurisdiction Christ suffered usually inflicted upon their Malefactours being both ignominious and painful And besides there was a special hand of Gods providence in Christ's suffering this kind of Death for by this it was the more lively declared that he was made a Curse for those that were under the curse of the Law According to the saying in the Law it self Deu. 21.23 he that is hanged is accursed of God See Gal. 3.13 Quest 16. But if Christ by his death fully satisfied the justice of God for the sin of man or of mankind how cometh it to passe that men themselves yea believers as well as others are punished by him with death and with many other afflictions notwithstanding this Satisfaction Answ Although Death with the sad retinew of other Sufferings at first came into the world upon the account and by means of sin already committed and came in the nature and notion of punishments for it yet Christ by his satisfaction hath so altered the property of them that they are not now properly punishments for sin committed though sin committed may occasion or cause them to be inflicted by God as 1 Cor. 11.30 but chastisements to prevent the commission of sin and so to prepare and render them meet for salvation being inflicted though justly yet not out of justice but out of love and mercy by God See and compare Heb. 12.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 11.32 2 Cor. 6.9 Revel 3.19 Deu. 8.5 Esa 26.16 Psal 94.12 Jer. 31.18 with some others yea Death it self is and may in this respect be called a Chastisement and not a punishment viz. because it prevents further sinning and makes way for the Saints into their Glory Notwithstanding because chastisements are like unto punishments and the same in the letter and substance with them they may sometimes according to the rule Similiae similium nominibus gaudent Things alike are oft expressed by the same names be called Punishments as Levit. 26.41.43 Lam. 3.39 Am. 3.2 and elsewhere So likewise because when they are very grievous and sore they are like unto the effects of wrath and anger they are sometimes ascribed to these passions in God as the cause of them Esa 12.1 Psal 79.5 Zech.
Christ from the dead save only for his own benefit and advancement Answ Yes The Apostle Paul expresly teacheth us that he was raised again viz. from death for our justification Rom. 4.25 which the Apostle Peter interprets at least in part where he saith that God raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.21 And the former Apostle elsewhere saith If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your Faith is also vain 1 Cor. 15.14.17 If Christ had still remained or been deteyned by God in the prison of Death it would have argued that he had failed or fallen short in giving that satisfaction unto the justice of God for sin which was undertaken by him and consequently there could have been no sufficient ground for any man to believe in God for the forgivenesse of his sins upon the account of his death without which Faith there can be no justification Whereas his being discharged by God from his imprisonment in death effectually proveth that he had made full payment unto him of that debt which he had taken upon himself to discharge And upon this account there is firm footing for every man to expect by Faith the forgiveness of his sins at the hand of God Quest 22. By what or whose power was Christ raised from the dead Answ The Scripture ascribeth his raising or riseing again from the dead sometimes unto himself or his own power and sometimes and more frequently unto God the Father and his power See and compare Joh. 2.19 Rom. 1.4 Joh. 10.18 1 Pet. 3.18 Rom. 14.9 Act. 24.32 Act. 5.4.10 Act. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 15.15 Eph. 1.20 with many others Quest 23. Why is the resurrection of Christ attributed unto himself or his own power Answ For the confirmation of this great Article of our faith that he is truly and by nature God or the natural Son of God Rom. 1.4 inasmuch as none but God is able to raise the dead Ephe. 1.19 20. Quest 24. Why is his resurrection ascribed unto God the Father Answ Partly to make the belief of it more passable with men inasmuch as it is no waies incredible but that God should be able to raise the dead Act. 26.8 though such a thing exceed's the power of every created being partly to confirm and satisfie us in this so great a matter of concernment to us that he is fully satisfied with the death and sufferings of Christ for the sins of the world and upon this account hath as it were with his own hands brought him out of the prison of death wherein he had been detained for a season Quest 25. What doth the Apostle Paul mean by a mans knowing the power of Christs Resurrection as likewise the Fellowship of his sufferings Phil. 3.10 Answ By knowing the power of Christs resurrection he meaneth an inward and reall sense or apprehension how mighty and glorious an encouragement the resurrection of Christ is unto any man to believe in God for salvation Or else how powerful an influence the resurrection of Christ rightly apprehended hath upon the Consciences of men to forsake all their dead works and to walk in newnesse of Life Rom. 6. verse 4. Compared with verse 5. By Fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings he means a mans dying that is his declining in love and affection to this present World and to all vain and sinful Contentments ingageing and provoking himself hereunto by the Consideration of the Sufferings of Christ for him He saith Peter that hath suffered in the Flesh that is who hath conformed himself unto Christ who suffered in the flesh for him Hath ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4.1 Quest 26. How long after Christ's Resurrection was it before his Ascension Answ The space of forty daies Act. 1.3 Quest 27. Why did he make his abode on Earth for so long a time after his Resurrection before he asscended Answ Because God judged this space of time necessarie and competent for him to give full assurance of the Truth and Certainty of his Resurrection unto his Apostles by exhibiting several enterviews of himself unto them and this at times somewhat distant for their better satisfaction as also to give instructions unto them about managing that great and weighty affair of preaching and publishing the Gospel throughout the World which they were now shortly to enter upon with such other things as related hereunto as the raising and ordering of Churches c. Quest 28. Whither did Christ ascend Answ Farre above all Heavens Eph. 4.10 that is farre above all visible Heavens For otherwise God himself is said to be in Heaven Mat. 6.9 and elsewhere yea and Heaven is said to be his dwelling place 1 King 8.49 Elsewhere he is said to be gone into Heaven simply as Act. 1.11 and 1 Pet. 3.22 So to have entered into Heaven Heb 9.24 Therefore it is like that the Apostles meaning is that he asscended into that Heaven which is called the Heaven of Heavens Deut. 10.14 where God converseth face to face with his Holy Angels revealing himself in all his glory unto them The scituation of which Heaven is farre above all those other globes or Spheres which in respect of their feat above the Earth are called Heavens Quest 29. Was the Ascension of Christ any waies necessary or conducing to the benefit of the world or the salvation of men Answ His Ascension as it includes or implies his inauguration or entrance into his great Dignity and Glory in which notion the Scripture commonly speaks of it was necessary to minister an opportunity unto the Father together with himself to send forth the holy Spirit into the World after another manner and upon farre more gracious and glorious termes then according to his being in it formerly The reason why the Holy Ghost was not thus given some-while before is said to be because Jesus was not yet glorified that is entred into his glory Joh. 7.39 So a little before his Death he tells his Disciples that it was expedient for them that he should goe away meaning that he should ascend into Heaven or go up unto his Father For saith he if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you Joh. 16.7 And Ephes 4.8 when he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive that is that his triumphant Ascension declared that he had conquered Sin Death and Hell and so had dissolved or turned that great and sad Captivity or Thrauldome wherein the World was detayned by Sathan as having been conquered by him and gave Gifts unto men and ver 10 it is said that he ascended up farre above all Heavens that he might fill all things that is that he might heal the emptinesse and vanity of the World by filling men with the sound and saving knowledg of God which he did by giving the gifts mentioned ver 11. And he gave some Apostles some Prophets
intercede with God to obtain the same respects benefits or favours from him for Believers and for Unbelievers for Apostates and for persevering Saints for those who are grown old and obdurate in sin and wickedness and for those in whom the weakness of Nature hath newly put forth in actual miscarriages of sin and disobedience c. Quest 35. With what difference then doth he Intercede for both sorts of Men for those that are good and for those that are evil for those that believe and for those that continue in unbelief Answ Look what mercies favours and good things the one sort of these men receive from God and what the other receive likewise and by this it may be known with what difference Christ Intercedes for the one and for the other For certain it is that what grace mercy favour or good soever is shewed by God unto the world I mean unto persons of all characters whether of righteousness or of sin respectively is the genuine fruit of the Intercession of Christ For it is for his sake and by means of his mediation that the iniquity of the world is not every moment the ruine of it So that as Christ intercedes on the behalf of his Saints that their infirmities and weaknesses may make no breach between his Father and them that God will inable them by his Spirit to continue in Faith and Love unto the end that he will afford them sufficient means for their spiritual Edification that he will supply them with all things needful for this present life c. So on the behalf of other men yet sinful and unconverted he Intercedes that a larger space of Repentance may be granted unto them that God will give them sufficient means for their Conversion and making themselves new hearts Ezek. 18.31 that of some of them God will fill their hearts with food and gladness that hereby they may be provoked to love him and believe on him for greater things that unto others of them he will administer seasonable corrections by which they may be admonished to look up unto him and seek after him c. as in his Wisdom Righteousness and Goodness in the Government of the World he shall judge best and most for his glory and that obstinate and careless sinners may be left without excuse in the day of Judgement Quest 36. How know you or how can you prove that there will be a day of Judgement Answ The Scriptures speak nothing more plainly more convincingly more frequently then this Witness these and several other like places Joh. 5.28 29 Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.5 6 7 c. Rom. 14 10. 2 Cor. 5.10 Matth. 16.27 Matth. 25.31 32 c. 1 Pet. 4.5 2 Pet. 3.7 Jude v. 14 15. Rev. 20.11 12 13 c. Quest 37. But is not every man judged at or immediately after the time of his death If so What occasion or need is there of a General Judgement afterwards Answ The Scripture no where teacheth that either good men receive the Sentence of Absolution from God or from Christ or evil men the Sentence of Condemnation at or immediately upon their death but the contrary rather as viz. that the judgement both of the one and of the other is respited or suspended until the great day of the General Judgement Concerning the bodies of either evident it is that the same execution is done upon them at the time of their respective deaths they both return alike unto the Earth Eccles 12.7 Therefore neither is the Sentence of Absolution then passed upon the one nor the Sentence of Condemnation upon the other The Sentence which is then executed both upon the one and the other is only that which was long since threatned against and so conditionally passed upon all flesh in case of sin viz. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Gen. 2.7 The execution of which Sentence or Threatning after sin commited is positively and without condition threatned and the Sentence it self interpreted in these words Dust thou art and unto it thou shalt return Gen 3.19 However there may be several weighty reasons given why God should appoint a day or a time for the General Judgement of the World more especially three Quest 38. What is the first of these Reasons Answ That his knowledge wisdome righteousnesse equity and impartiality in judging the waies and doings of his Creatures and in awarding and assigning them rewards and punishments accordingly might be the more conspicuous and gloriously manifested to the whole Creation Rom. 2.5 6. Quest 39. What is your second Reason Answ That as in Christ's humiliation that is by occasion of that poor and low condition wherein he lived in the world especially by means of his ignominious death his judgment was taken away that is the honour due unto his infinite worth and dignity was denied unto him Act. 8 33. So in the great day of his appearance to judge the world it might be restored again unto him wherein he shall appear like unto himself and be acknowledged and owned by the whole Creation accordingly In this respect the day of the general judgment is termed the day of Christ and the day of the Lord meaning Christ that is a day as it were calculated contrived and appointed by God for the honour or interest of Christ As a day or time which is benedict commodious or pleasing unto any person or persons is said to be their day hour or time to whose benefit it thus relateth Luk. 19.42 Luk. 22.35 1 Cor. 4.3 See Phil. 1.6 10. Phil. 2 16. 2 Thess 2.2 1 Cor. 5.5.2 Cor. 1.14 1 Thess 5.2 to omit several others Quest 40. What is your Third and last Reason Answ God by his appointment of a day for the generall judgment of the World wherein the secrets of the hearts of all men both good and evill together with their words actions and doings shall be brought to light and sentenced respectively without all partiality according to the most absolute rules of righteousnesse and equity in the presence and audience both of Heaven and Earth and of the whole Creation of God hath furnished himself with a most potent Argument as well for the promoting of godlinesse as for the restraining of sin and wickednesse in the mean time amongst men And we find him often making use of this Argument accordingly See Mat. 16.26 27. Act. 17.31 Compared with verse 30. Rom. 2.5 6. c. 2 Cor. 5.9 10 11. 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. c. Quest 41. By whom shall this great and general judgment of the world be administred Answ By the Lord Jesus Christ This is evident from many Scriptures Mat. 16.27 Mat. 25.31 c. Joh. 5.27 28 c. Act. 17.31 2 Cor. 5 9 c Quest 42. Why shall Christ be the judge or why is he appointed by God to execute the great and generall judgment of the World Answ Because of his subsisting in the humane nature or of his being Man as well
used places might be cited in great numbers from the Scriptures themselves as well as from other Authors whereby this would be made manifest 2. In very many places of Scripture it signifieth determinately an individuum of the male Sex or a man Mat. 8.9.27.9.8.9.32.10.35 36.11.8.19.12.10 11.13 to omit double and trebble this number of instances in the New Testament only 3d It sometimes signifieth a man as contradistinguished to a Woman Mat. 19.3.5 1 Cor. 7.1 So that the Text mentioned 1 Cor. 11.28 containeth no particular or express precept for womens receiving the Lords Supper There is no word here that particularly or expresly and necessarily signifieth a woman And were it not for some Scripture grounds one or more from whi h it may be proved that there is the same or the like reason why women should partake of this Sacrament which there is for men that place would signifie little as to their receiving it especially considering yet further that the Apostle manageth his whole discourse in this place about the Supper in the masculine Gender only as appears v. 20 21 22 27 29 30 31 32.33 But suppose this place should be admitted to pass as a particular precept unto women to partake of the Lords Table yet there will be found no such precept nor any example in the Scripture to justifie the act of him that shall administer or deliver this Sacrament unto them but the lawfulness or necessity rather by way of duty hereof must be argued or inferred either from some general precept or from some principle or ground which in a rational constructive and consequential way require of Ministers such an action as being the will of God concerning them upon occasion It is more easie then needful to give instance in many more particulars of like consideration So that an action or practise may be not only warrantable and lawful but even highly necessary by way of duty when there is neither an express command nor example to evince either the lawfulness or necessity of it This for the former proposition For the minor proposition which affirmeth that all Children at least of the Church and of believing Parents are in favor with God it hath both the greater light of the Scriptures and the lesser light of reason shining clearly on it From these two heads of arguing a just volume of discourse might be drawn up in the demonstration and defence of it I shall at present give you a taste only of the genius of the one and of the other about the point reserving the clearing of difficulties and answering of objections until we meet with an opportunity of more liberty for discourse The Scripture speaketh aloud the truth of the said proposition as in many other places so especially Rom. 5.18 19. compared with v. 15. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon ALL MEN to condemnation◠even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came us on ALL MEN unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience MANY were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall MANY be made righteous Evident it is that the Apostle from the end of the 14th verse to the end of the chapter discourseth the typical resemblance or similitude declaring by the way and upon the occasion the dissimilitude likewise between the first and the second Adam in their respective procurements of evil by the former of good by the latter unto men That which is most observable to our purpose in the discourse is that the number of persons restored unto an estate of righteousness and of life by the second Adam is still made commensurable and equal unto the number of those who were brought into an estate of condemnation and death by the first Adam both numbers being all along expressed and described as the same and in the same words as was even now shewed As by the offence of one judgement came upon all MEN to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon ALL MEN unto justification of life That ALL MEN in the former part of the verse includeth all persons of mankinde without exception of any capable of the judgement mentioned and consequently all Infants or young Children is no mans doubt or question and that that self-same expression used again in the latter part of it should here so far vary its signification as to exclude far the greater part of mankinde and signifie only an handful of them comparatively is too far both from reason and from example as well in the Scripture as in other Writers for any man reasonably to conceive Therefore all Infants whilst such and until the committing of acutal sin are partakers of the Grace of God vouchsafed unto the world by Jesus Christ according to that of John Baptist John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away THE SIN of the world The sin of Adam by which the whole world became obnoxious unto death is most properly termed The sin of the world and the Evangelist John when he speaketh of the Redemption wrought by Christ in the extent of it as well unto the the personal and actual sins of men as their guilt derived from the sin of Adam is wont to express it by mentioning sins in the plural number not sin in the singular unless it be with a note of universality which is somewhat more emphatical and altogether as comprehensive as the plural number for which see 1 John 1.79 but for the other see 1 John 2.2.3.5.4.10 This Doctrine that Infants and young children are in favor with God might be argued and proved from several other places also as Mat. 18.3.19.14 15. Mark 10.14 15.9.36 37. Luke 18.16 17. John 8.34 to omit the rest those texts likewise might be as readily answered which are thought by many to oppose it as Eph. 2.1 2 3. job 14.4 John 3.5 6. 1 Cor. 7.14 with some others But we intend not in this work a large discussion of any thing In reason there is this amongst many other things to confirm the said Doctrine Some Infants are in the love and favor of God therefore all are so likewise The antecedent in this argument is granted by all no man I presume affirming that God hateth or is an enemy unto all Infants without exception therefore some are in his favor The consequence is built upon that worthy character or property in God which the Scripture from place to place with a kinde of emphatical solemnity asserteth unto him I mean his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.17 or non-accepting or non-respecting of persons See Deut. 10 17. 2 Sam. 14.14 2 Chron. 19.7 Job 34.19.37.23 24. Mat. 22.16 Acts 10.34 Rom. 2.11 Gal. 2.6 Eph. 6.9 Col. 3.25 1 Pet. 1.17 Now if God be no respecter of persons but of the cause only for this is implied therein by way of antithesis and is elsewhere frequently and plainly affirmed of him certain it is that he sheweth the
all the Saints that have dyed before it from the beginning of the World and shall end with another viz. of all ungodly and wicked persons from the first to the last But to set forth all the particulars of this judgment or to declare how and after what manner the Lord Christ will proceed in it from the first to the last is a matter of very great difficulty and which hath not prospered in the hand of any undertaker that I know of CHAP V. Of Justification Faith Repentance and good Works Quest 1. HOw or by what means may a Creature that hath sinned come to be eternally saved his sin notwithstanding Answ By his being justified from his sin before God Quest 2. Why will not God save any but only those that are justified from their sins in his sight Answ Because though he be exceeding patient yet is he a God of judgment infinitely just and holy and therefore cannot admit any person under the guilt and pollution of sin into that near communion and fellowship with himself in his blessednesse and glory which salvation importeth Quest 3. Is there a way or means for every Creature that hath sinned to attain justification in the sight of God Answ No The Divel and his Angels have all sinned with whom notwithstanding God hath made no Covenant of Peace or of justification neither hath he vouchsafed unto them any means of reconciling themselves unto him Yea it seems their misery by sinning came not near unto his heart at all nor was he solicitous in the least about their recovery Heb. 2.16 Only his Creature man he hath in great tendernesse of mercy put into a way of justification Quest 4. What is it for a man to be justified from his sins Or what is justification Answ The word Justification is sometimes used in an active signification and sometimes in a passive as many other words of a like forme also are as Regeneration Sanctification Mortification c. In the former of these senses that Justification which I suppose you inquire after for there are severall kinds of Justification is an act of God absolving a sinner from the guilt and deserved punishment of all his Sins upon the consideration of the attonement made for him by Christ in his Death and accepted by him by Faith which act being rightly interpreted or understood either is or includeth an imputation of perfect Righteousnesse unto him In the latter or passive signification of the word Justification importeth the effect or product of the said act of God which is that new and happy state or condition of absolution or freedome from guilt into which the person justified is translated by means of it So that for a man to be justified from his sins is to be exempted by God from amongst those that are liable to death and eternal condemnation for their sins and to be numbred amongst those that are heirs of life and salvation Quest 5. After what manner or how doth God justifie those that are justified by him Answ Not by exerting or putting forth any particular or new act but by the authority and vertue of his Eternal Decree concerning justification which being one and the same at least in respect of persons capable by years and understanding of believing yet justifieth or rather God by it justifieth all those that come under it that is that perform the terms of it Quest 6. What are the termes of that Decree of God you speak of concerning Justification by which Decree and according to the termes specified in it you teach that he justifieth all that are justified by him at least all whom the use of reason distinguisheth from Children and Idiots Answ The termes of this Decree are that men believe in God through Jesus Christ with a Faith unfeigned and which is operative through love 1 Pet. 1.21 compared with 2 Tim. 1.5 and Gal. 5 6. God hath decreed from eternity to justifie all those who shall thus believe in him Quest 7. But hath he decreed to justifie none other but such as these What shall become of Infants aying in their Infancie or before years of discretion as likewise of such who scarce know their right hand from their left through want of common understanding Must these all perish Or shall they be saved without being justified Or if they be justified must it not be without Faith since hereof they are uncapable Answ Farre be it from us to think that God excludeth any person of mankind from the common Salvation purchased by Jesus Christ for the non-performance of things unpossible unto them or that he should estimate any of them according to that they have not and not according to that which they have Therefore although the Scriptures speak nothing so expresly either of the justification or Salvation either of Infants or of Idiots as they doe both of the justification and Salvation of men and women who believe Yet that as well the one as the other are both justified and saved by Christ may be substantially proved and concluded from many considerations and grounds plainly delivered and asserted in the Scriptures as hath been shewed and made good by many And if this be the condemnation of the world as Christ himself affirmeth that men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill Evident it is that both the said sorts of persons are free from condemnation and consequently are partakers both of that justification and salvation which have been purchased by Christ inasmuch as the guilt or sin of loving darknesse rather then light is no wayes chargeable upon them Quest 8. What is that Faith or that Believing which bringeth men and women under Gods Decree of justification and so justifieth them Answ The Scriptures expresse it under a great variety and difference of words and phrases Sometimes it is called a believing God or Christ Rom. 4 3. Gal. 3.6 Joh. 3.36 Sometimes a believing in God or in the Lord or Christ Gen. 15.6 Ioh. 1.15 16. 14 1. Act. 10.43 Rom. 10.14 1 Pet. 1.21 Sometimes again and more frequently a believing on God or on Christ or on the Son of God Ioh. 2.11 6.29 7.39 Act. 16.31 19.4 Rom. 4 5. Ioh. 5.10 Elsewhere it is called a believing on the name of Christ or of the Son of God Ioh. 1.12 1 Ioh. 3.23 5.13 It is sometimes likewise expressed by a believing the Gospel the word testimony or record of God concerning his Son as also by a believing the word or words of Christ Mar. 1.15 1 Ioh. 5.9 10. Ioh. 5.47 Act. 4.31 compared with ver 32. Act. 28.24 and elsewhere Lastly it is oft signified by a believing Christ to be He that is the Messiah or Saviour of the world or to be the Son of God and the like Ioh. 8.24 11.27 20.31 Act. 8.37 1 Ioh 5.1.5 The Holy Ghost by expressing that Faith which justifieth under all this diversity seemeth desirous to prevent or remove many of
God upon men on like termes of absolute necessity for their Salvation Answ Mortification is such a work or impression upon the heart or soul by which all those dispositions and inclinations unto sin which in the generality of men are active and lively in tempting and drawing them into sinful actions and waies are so broken and the vigour and power of them so infeebled and quashed that a person mortified to any considerable degree finds himself as it were unable to commit sins for want of will list or propension hereunto according to that of the Apostle PAVL We CAN DOE nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 Consider and compare herewith Gen. 39 9. Mat. 7.18 Rom. 6.2 7.18 Act. 4.20 1 Ioh. 3.9 with some others Quest 44. What are the best means to raise and to advance the work of Mortification in the Soul Answ To believe with all the might of the soul and to consider accordingly from time to time that Iesus Christ indured that painful bitter ignominious and accursed death of the Crosse for this great and weighty end amongst others namely to perswade and prevail with men to conform themselves to a likenesse of those his sufferings in crucifying the old man and destroying out of them the body of sin that they might not serve or obey it any more in the lusts thereof Rom. 6.3 4 5 6 c. Gal. 2.20 1 Pet. 4.1 Quest 45. What is another means to help forward the work of Mortification Answ To have recourse unto the Spirit of God within us seriously and humbly desiring him that because we through the weaknesse and great indisposition of the flesh to such a work as Mortification are exceeding backward and averse to be brought unto it or to do any thing in it to purpose and besides by reason of the spiritual darknesse in our minds and understandings are much to seek how to go about the work or what to do in it He will please secretly first to quicken and stirre us up unto it and then supply and furnish us with such Arguments and Considerations which are proper and effectual through God to accomplish it But if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Very great things might be done by the Childten of men by the ducture help and assistance of the Spirit of God within them did they ingage and imploy him accordingly or as they might and ought to do Quest 46. What is a third means to promote the same work Answ To fil a mans judgment and conscience with strong convictions that there is no Salvation of Soul to be obtained from God without a preceding work of Mortification upon it A strong and clear conviction hereof kept upon the judgment and conscience so that they may be made to bear and feel the just weight and importance of it will soon break the heart of the powers of darknesse in men and so astonish and confound all sensual affections and sinful dispositions in them that they will have little list to stirre or move or act their former parts any more Quest 47. Have you yet a fourth means to propose upon the same account Answ I conceive that this consideration also will be very serviceable in the work namely That though all sensual and sinful propensions and dispositions in men were utterly abolished and destroyed out of them they would not find nor feel nor have the least cause to complain of any want of them however they should be deprived of the pleasures which they took in gratifying them whilest they were in being As though men having an itching distemper in their flesh take a pleasure in scratching yet would they find no inconvenience in the wholenesse or cleannesse of their skin although the distemper being removed the pleasure of scratching would be lost All that which is to be mortified in men is but superfluity and may be spared without the least detriment of any pleasure satisfaction or contentment that are in the least degree worthy of men or needful for any person Quest 48. May there not yet be found a fifth means to help forward the work of Mortification Answ Yes doubtlesse a frequent close and fervent meditation of our short continuance in the world together with the utter uncertainty of this continuance as that it may be much shorter then we are aware of or do imagine must needs much abate the heat and strength of all sensual and sinful inclinations Moses considering that if he should have pursued and forgive after the injoyment of the pleasures of sin he could have enjoyed them but for a season that is an inconsiderable space of time wrought his heart even to this choice rather to suffer affliction with the people of God which yet as to flesh and blood is farre lesse eligible or desirable then onely to abstain from fleshly lusts or to forbear superfluous contentments and delights then such injoyments upon such tearms I mean the pleasures of sin which he knew he could enjoy but for a season Heb. 11.25 The serious thought of the sound of the feet of Death at our doors cannot lightly but be as a Rod of iron in our hand to break and dash in pieces all worldly sensual and sinful motions and dispositions in the hearts and souls of men yea though they be very stubborn and as loath to yield or give place as Sathan was to quit his place in Heaven when he was thrown down from thence by the irresistible arme of God When the approaches of Death are apprehended it is but a kind of natural Christianity for them to purifie or sanctifie themselves Job 41.25 and consequently to be as dead before hand to all worldly or fleshly defilements Quest 49. Can you not bethink your self of some other means besides those already mentioned to cause so good and great a work as that of Mortification to prosper in the hand of him that is willing to set about it Answ Considering that lusts and sinful motions are but as it were the complaints of men of the straightness of their conditions otherwise and of their dis-satisfation herewith without them even as stealing deceiving and lying for advantage-sake are constructively the complaints of men that they are very poor and know not well how to do or subsist in the world without such practises therefore I judge it much conducing towards the cutting them off from the Soul for men to acquaint themselves distincly and throughly with the unsearchable riches of the grace and bounty of God in the Gospel and to be much in the contemplation of the unspeakable happinesse and blessednesse of all those that love God and to feed daily upon and nourish their Souls with a setled hope and expectation of part and fellowship in that great Glory that shall be revealed in the Sons of God at the appearing of Jesus Christ not deducting any thing from the full value or worth of such
any hope of having such our Petition granted us By the way it is worthy our observation how beneficial enemies and those that deal unkindly and injuriously by us are or may be unto us unlesse we be farre greater enemies to our selves then they They afford us the happy opportunity of doing that the performance whereof giveth us a steady and full assurance of being accepted with God in our Prayer for the forgivenesse of our sins and without the performance of which we are excluded from all hope of prevailing in so great a concernment Mat. 6.14 15. and 18.35 Quest 57. But have they that believe in Christ any need to pray for the forgivenesse of their sins Are not their sins by vertue of their Relation unto and union with Christ pardoned as it were of course as and as oft as they are committed Answ Christ by his death according to the counsell and will of God purchased actual pardons of sin or pardons of sin to be actually and without any more ado or requirement of any other termes or conditions conferred upon all those that should truly and with all their heart believe on him But evident it is from the Scriptures that he hath subjected the injoyment of these pardons as well in respect of the continuance of them as of the extent of the benefit of them even whilst they are continued under certain Proviso's or terms of Limitation as his wisdome and righteousnesse for the orderly and equitable Government of the world and more particularly of his own house directed him to do being at full liberty to order the great affair we now speak of as himself should please As for example we find the continuance of the enjoyment of such a pardon clearly suspended upon his Christian behaviour who is at present possessed of it towards those that have wronged or dealt unkindly by him in his free and hearty forgiving them Mat. 18.27 compared with ver 28.30.32 33 34 35. Mat. 6.14 15. Mar. 11.25 26. So likewise upon his perseverance in Faith Love and Obedience unto the end Mat. 24.13 Luk. 8.15 Rom. 2.7 Mat. 10.33 Heb. 3.14 6.11 12. 10.38 39. besides other places very many Again These pardons in respect of their present benefit either in freeing men from inward fears of Gods displeasure or from outward sufferings or punishmenrs due unto sin are suspended upon the regularnesse of their obedience their holy and humble walking with God their exercising themselves to have alwaies a conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards Men c. The truth hereof in both particulars most exemplarily and at large appeareth in Davids story who by reason of his breach of Loyalty unto God in those extravagant practises and misdemeanours wherein Sathan was above him was both inwardly afflicted in Soul and this very sorely and also pursued from time to time by and with many outward judgments and sore afflictions from God as if he had been in the number of those who never believed nor had ever been blessed with the pardon of their sins See at leasure upon this account Psal 89.31 32 33. 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32. Heb. 12.28 29. 1 Pet. 1.17 with many others Therefore even they who believe in Christ and upon their believing were invested with the pardon of their sins inasmuch as they sin daily notwithstanding yea they know not how oft for who can understand his errors Psal 19.12 are greatly concerned to ask the pardon of their sins of God from day to day For otherwise God is at liberty or rather indeed under a necessity in respect of his honour to make them their sorrow either inward or outward or both And since Christ hath now made it or declared it to be a part of the worship of God that we daily or from time to time ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins they who do not exercise themselves in asking it herein and to a degree become prophane forsaking or neglecting the worship of God and consequently to a like degree expose themselves to the danger of apostacy and so to have the pardon of their sins cancelled and reversed never to be obtained by them more Quest 58. What is the meaning of the sixth and last Petition and what are some of the most considerable things which we are directed in it or by it to ask in Prayer of God Answ This Petition consisteth of two members or parts which as was lately hinted occasioned some to divide it into two Petitions and so to make the number of the Petitions seven Concerning the former part of it The last preceding Petition respecteth our sins past and already committed and taught us to ask the forgivenesse of them This Petition respecteth sins to come or which we are in danger of committing afterwards and directeth us to take the best course that is to avoid the danger and keep our selves free which is by praying unto God that he will not lead us or rather as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth bring us into Temptation but deliver us from evill that is that he will not in his providence afford unto Sathan or any other Tempter any Opportunity or Power to tempt us unto evill but with a gracious intention to stand by us himself and keep us upright under the temptation and deliver us from falling into that sin unto which we shall be tempted God trieth many yea there is scarce any of his Saints but he tryeth in one kind or other but as the Apostle James informeth us he tempteth no man Jam. 1.13 Notwithstanding he may be said to lead or to bring men into Temptation when having stood between them and temptation formerly as sometimes he stood in the cloudy and siery pillar between the Israelites and the Egyptians not suffering them to come the one at the other he now withdraweth himself as he did from Hezekiah 2 Chro. 32.31 and so exposeth and as it were delivereth them up into the hand of the temptation of what kind soever it be hereby acting and doing as if he had in a strict and proper sense led or brought them into temptation When two things though differing in their natures are yet alike in their effects or in the ordinary events or consequences of either the Scripture oft expresseth the one in terms more appropriate unto the other (a) Similia similium occupant nomina Hug. Grot. in Act. 13.33 Solent similia nomen inter se permutare Idem in Eph. 1 ◠Now Christ immediately subjoyning this Petition for preservation from sinning unto that wherein he directed us to ask the forgivenesse of our sins plainly admonisheth us that when vve have obtained the great Grace and Mercy of the pardon of our sins from God it lyeth as a great duty upon us to be every way solicitous and careful that as farre as is possible we sin no more When in the latter clause of the Petition we pray that God would deliver us from evill by Evill we
from further praying and puts him upon doing of that which was proper and requisite to be done by him and by the people that his Petition might in an orderly and regular way be granted unto him And the Lord said unto Joshua Get thee up Wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned c. Vp sanctifie the people c. Josh 6.10 11 13. To desire any thing of God in Prayer and not to use the means created and appointed by himself for the bringing of it to passe is in effect to desire him to pour contempt upon his own ordinance and to tend in pieces the covering which with great wisdome he hath made for his own arme Quest 73. What is the fifth and the last thing which may damage our Prayers in the hand of God very much if care be not taken to keep our selves free from it Answ An impatience or discontentednesse of mind that God doth not as well comport with us in our time as in the matter or substance of our prayer otherwise He is not indeed offended that we should hasten him all we can with calling and crying unto him night and day with all the importunity of asking But he is offended that we should be offended and make our selves agrieved when he upon reasons of greatest weight and highest importance for his own glory and the general benefit of the world Yea and our own profit also shall for a time delay the fulfilling of our desires For he seldome or never maketh any long tarrying as David speaks with his Answers to the prayers of his People but upon one or more of and commonly upon all the said Considerations Now for any man to be dissatisfied or froward because God Will not sacrifice such high and sacred concernments upon the service of his petty interest or lesse considerate desire is such an importune strain of dis-ingenuity that it is no marvel if the zeal of God towards his prayers be cooled if not quenched by it CHAP. VIII Concerning the Decalogue or Ten Commandements Quest 1. WHat occasion or necessity was there that such a Body or Systeme of Precepts or Commandements as that which is called the Decalogue should be delivered or issued out by God either by word of mouth or writing unto the World Answ Although it was not directly or immediately delivered unto the world but unto a small part of it namely to the Church of God consisting at the time when it was delivered of the Jewish Nation only yet it may properly enough be said to have been delivered unto the world because this Nation was intrusted with it as it was with the rest of the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 For the use and benefit of the world asvvell as for their own in which respect this together with the rest of the said Oracles are by the Apostle called The E ements or rudiments of the World Coloss 2.8.20 The reasons and occasions for which God was pleased to issue it forth in words and writing unto the world may be conceived to be these First That men might have a perfect Copy and of Divine authority alwaies at hand by which to correct all those errours and falsifications to supply all those defacements and blottings out to enlighten all those obscurities and uncertainties of words and meaning which in processe of time had crept into the first writing of this Law in the hearts and consciences of men by God partly through the negligence and carelessnesse of men in keeping this divine abstract of their Duty fair and legible within them partly and more especially through a long accustomed boldnesse and daringness in sinning against the expresse and clear dictates of it This was designed and intended by God in order to some further ends of which some may be touched presently Secondly God by making the rule or law of mans obedience so plain and publique withall in the world hath taken a course to cause every man both to know his own sins better then otherwise he was like to have done and every man likewise to take better notice of the abundance of sin and wickednesse practised in the world round about him Moreover saith the Apostle Rom. 5.20 the Law entered or rather iterveened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. between Adam with his sin and condemnation brought upon the world by it and Christ with his righteousnesse and justification that the offence might abound that is that the sin of Adam might the better appear to have been aboundant in evill So that God might very justly yea equitably subject his whole posterity unto death for it for the Law pronouncing the Sinner cursed declareth sin to be another manner of thing farre more horrid and devouring then otherwise men were like to conceive of it or rather that the offence of that sin might abound for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is presently explained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that the guilt of sin might become and appear likewise to be much greater the authority of the Law prohibiting it being re-inforced a fresh and that immediately and with stupendious miracles by the great Law-giver himself Elsewhere the same Apostle informeth us that by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 meaning that very frequently and in many cases men come by means of the Law written to know those waies and actions to be sinful which otherwise they were like never to have known in that relation See for this Rom. 7.7 Yet neither is this end of God in delivering his Law in writing his ultimate end but subordinate and subservient to some others Therefore Thirdly The giving of the said Law in writing unto the world by means of that property and service of it last mentioned commendeth the rich grace of God in the gift of Jesus Christ unto the minds and consciences of men For the more sin is discovered and made known in the world both in the multitude and heinousnesse of the perpetrations of ir that Grace which taketh it away and healeth the great Evil brought upon men by it must needs be discovered and acknowledged to be the greater This point of the counsel of God in sending the Law into the world i◠I conceive pointed at by the Apostle in the place lately cited in part Rom. 5.20 Moreover the Law entered or interveened that the offence wight abound that is as we before expounded might appear to be exceeding great but where sin abounded grace did much more abound as if he should have said the greater aboundance of sin was discovered to be in the world the fuller discovery was consequentially made of that super-aboundancie of the grace of God in Christ by which that abounding sin was attoned pardoned and done away And this discovery was that which God aimed at in the other For the further illustration and confirmation of this Reason see and consider at leisure Rom. 3.19 Gal. 3.19 Fourthly As God by sending the Law into the world upon those terms
am not come to destroy them but to fulfil them And soon after Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is shall have no place there as the next verse expoundeth it but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven that is shall be highly honoured in this Kingdom Mat. 5.17.19 Therefore Concerning the Preface prefixed before ths Decalogue although in the litteral and typical sense and signification of the words it relateth particularly unto the Jewes they being the only people whom God had brought out of the Land of Egypt out c. Yet in the mystical and spiritual import of them which is sufficiently declared and asserted in the Gospel and which is the farre more eminent consideration of them the said Preface containeth matter of an equall ingagement unto obedience lying upon all other Nations in common with the Jews For deliverance from under the power and tyranny of Sin Sathan Death Hell c. which is typically held forth in the great and famous deliverance of the Israelites from under the Tyrannical power of Pharaoh and out of the iron furnace of Egypt respecteth all Nations under Heaven as well as it doth or ever did the Jews according to the promise made by God unto Abraham long before Gen. 12.3 and not long after confirmed and renewed Gen. 18.18 chap. 22.18 Quest 10. But what may be the reason why God should seek to ingage the Jews to own him for their God and to yield obedience unto his Laws by mentioning the act of his Grace and Power towards them in bringing them out of the Land of Egypt c. rather then by insisting upon his farre greater obliging grace and favour unto them in delivering them from sin and from the curse due unto it and a thousand bitter and most grievous things following it Answ The wisdome of God judged it meet to reserve the clear and open-faced discovery of the Gospel and of the great work of Redemption for his Son Jesus Christ when he should come into the world 2 Tim. 1.10 Hebr. 1.1 with Ephes 3.5 So that though the Gospel was preached unto and amongst the Jews at and before the time of the giving of the Law Gal. 3.8 Heb. 4.2.6 yet was it preached unto them with much reservednesse of the lustre beauty and brightnesse of it God sent it unto them in such an habit as Rebecca was in when she met Isaack covering her self with a vail Gen. 24.65 This probably is the reason why God was pleased to make use rather of the shadow then of the substance of their great deliverance by Christ to insure if it might be their free and willing obedience unto his Law and this the rather because the shadow we speak of their deliverance from Egypt was a most sacred token or pledge from Heaven newly sent and received by them of his great respects and favour unto them And inasmuch as this people were to be patterns and ensamples and to lead the way of obedience unto the Law of God to the rest of the world it may be judged worthy the goodnesse of God towards them to animate and enliven their obedience unto it by reminding them of such an high-favour and priviledge which was appropriately theirs withall knowing their temper of being extraordinarily taken with propriety in their priviledges and favours from God Quest 11. Whether is the Decalogue or Morall Law more generally so called Morall throughout I mean naturally Morall in every thing that is contained or expressed in it Or may it not be termed Moral because it is more generally though it be not universally or in every point such Answ I suppose the question doth not mind any other of the Ten words or Commandements of this Law or any thing mentioned or contained in them but only the Fourth and in this more especially the Day the seventh day here commanded to be sanctified or kept holy That the observation or keeping holy of this day according to the tenour and rule of the Commandement as viz. by refraining our selves and by restaining others that are under us from ordinary labour c. neither ever was nor at this day is known by the light of nature to be a duty required by God of men is most probable and next to that which is unquestionable For First The ground upon which God builds his Commandement for the observation of this day viz. his resting on this day from his six-days work about the Creation is not known nor knowable by the light of nature The Scripture expresly saith that By Faith that is by divine Revelation and the credit we give here unto we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11.3 If the framing of the worlds by the word of God be not known by the light of nature much lesse is the time that he took to finish it or on what day he rested from this work known unto men by this light Secondly There is expresse mention made Gen. 2 3. of the special interposure of God by way of Institution to make the observation of this day to become a duty unto men And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because c. There is no such course taken with any other of the duties enjoyned in all the rest of the commandements to bind the practise of them upon the consciences of men Therefore the observation of the day pointed unto in this fourth commandement is a duty of a different nature and consideration from those required in the other commandements they being all naturally Morall this only such by institution or particular command Thirdly If the observation of the seventh day we speak of were naturally Moral as the duties of the other Commandements and so of perpetual obligation as they are the primitive Christians generally and all the Churches of Christ throughout all succeeding ages untill now must be censured and condemned as living and dying and this as is most likely without Repentance in a sinful practise against the light of nature which is an hard sentence and hardly Christian for an inconsiderable party of men to pass upon the great Congregation of the first-born in al their Generations For it is sufficiently known that these did not walk in the observation of that day but of another instead of it Fourthly It is hardly to be thought or supposed and yet much harder to be proved that there was ever any thing written by God in the fleshy tables of mens hearts which was legible by the light of nature but that it hath been by one or other at one time or other actually read by this light The Apostle supposeth that the Gentiles which have not the Law do or may do by nature the things contained in the Law meaning the things in the Law which are naturally Moral hereby shewing
same respects of love and hatred unto all Infants especially that he putteth no such vast difference between one infant and another as his eternally-saving love and his everlastingly-destroying hatred do import For in respect of any reasonable or equitable cause either of love or hatred all Infants are every wayes equal all of them being equally involved in the guilt of Adams transgression and hereby equally liable to the judgement of God all of them equally prone in respect of their natures and of themselves unto all evil all of them equally distant from and equally nigh unto Faith Righteousness Holiness and every other saving qualification Therefore if God loveth some of them with a love unto salvation and hateth others with an hatred unto condemnation he must needs be a respecter of Persons there being no difference at all in or between the cause of the one and of the other whereon to build that different award of affection For that the affection whether of love or of hatred which God beareth unto Infants is not an affection of meer pleasure or will but as we may call it for want of a better term a judiciary affection I mean such an affection which essentially includeth in it a judiciary sentence or an award either of reward or punishment to be irrevocably passed upon the persons of these Infants dying such may be easily proved For the Counsel and Intent of God in the Gospel and restauration of the world by Jesus Christ was in a regular and formal process of judgement to declare his goodness and bounty in rewarding those highly who by the Law of the Gospel should be found capable and meet to be rewarded by him and on the other hand to shew the severity of his just displeasure against sin when found in conjuction with stubbornness and impenitency in the punishment of obdurate and final unbelievers This is a truth visible enough in the very superficies of the Gospel from place to place So then the case and cause of all Infants in reference to their final judgement being as we have seen in every respect one and the same if God should pass a sentence of absolution and reward upon some of them and a sentence of condemnation and death upon others it must needs proceed from his respects unto the meer persons of the former above the later His intendments of more of the good things of this present world into some of them then unto others as in health wealth prosperity natural endowments c. do not argue any such affection either of love to the one or hatred unto the other as that we now speak of and lately called judiciary because the largest measure of temporal good things given unto men otherwise at least then after and for some special service performed is not given unto them by way of reward or by a judiciary award as neither is a scanter measure in these things dispensed in a way of judgement unto those to whom this dispensation is made unless haply it be after some sinful provocatiand with relation hereunto but both the one dispensation and the other are acts of will and good pleasure in God and proceed from him not as he is the judge but as he is the sovereign Ruler of the world and at full liberty to do with his own what he pleaseth And though sometimes in Scripture he is said to love those to whom he intends more liberally in outward things and on the other hand to hate where he intends more sparingly as in the case of Jacob and Esau Mal 1. v. 2.3 Rom. 9.13 yet evident it is upon the account lately given that for such love and hatred as these with their different fruits and effects there is no colour why accepting of persons in the dishonourable notion of the words should be imputed unto God because accepting of persons in this sense hath place only in matters of judicature between men and men whereas both those affections in God with their respective expressions import only matter of liberty and what he standeth not ingaged unto by any Rule or Law no not of his own as hath been already declared Hereunto this may be added as not altogether irrelative to the business in hand Although love and hatred be figuratively and after the manner of men ascribed unto God as contrary affections or rather indeed at least sometimes as the same affection diversified only by degrees an inferior degree in love being frequently expressed by hatred in the Scriptures in respect of their seemingly contrary effects the more bountiful and the more sparing collations or donations of the good things of the world yet according to the true estimate of the case and this ruled by the Scriptures themselves there is not more of that love which is saving or of a saving tendency in the one of those dispensations then in the other For upon this account doubtless it was that the wise man Agur desired Riches of God no whit more then Poverty Give me neither poverty n r riches Prov. 30.8 Certainly if he had apprehended the least degree of Gods saving love towards him in his casting riches upon him above what he conceived in his sending him either poverty or food convenient he would have desired it before either of them But this by the way However the argument propounded stands firm upon its basis if God loveth any young children savingly he loveth them all upon the same terms because he is no accepter of persons and amongst them there is nothing of cause to be found why any of them should be differenced in judgement from others or be justified when others are condemned or which is the same in effect why any should be loved with such an affection which carrieth a sentence of justification in it more then others This is one reason demonstrating the truth of this Doctrine that Infants may lawfully be baptized I shall at present only subjoyn another upon the same account If God before and under the Law judged it meet that men whilst they were yet Children should be admitted into the profession of his Name and Worship or into his Church by the door of a Sacramental solemnity and hath no where declared any alteration or change of his minde or pleasure touching this then is it his will and pleasure that children should be baptized under the Gospel as it was that they should be circumcised under the Law But the Antecedent in this Argument is true therefore the consequent also and so children are by the will of God to be baptized The former part of the Antecedent is unquestionably true For men both before and under the Law were whilst they were yet Children admitted into the Church of God by Circumcision or by being circumcised and this by the express order and command of God Gen. 17.10 11. c. Levit. 12.3 Nor is this I suppose denied by any The latter part is no less certain FINIS